Bracteantha plant named ‘OHB003790’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Bracteantha  plant named ‘OHB003790’, characterized by its large inflorescences of yellow-colored involucral bracts and orange colored disc florets, dark green-colored foliage, and compact upright growth habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of plant claimed: Bracteanthabracteata.

Variety denomination: ‘OHB003790’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Bracteantha plantbotanically known as Bracteantha bracteata and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘OHB003790’.

The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breedingprogram during November 2000, a Winmalee NSW, Australia. The objectiveof the breeding program was the development of Bracteantha cultivarswith a compact growth habit, numerous involucral bracts havingattractive colors, dark green-colored foliage and large inflorescencesthat remain open under low light conditions.

The female (seed) parent of ‘OHB003790’ was the cultivar ‘Argyle Star’(not patented) characterized by its white-colored, single flowers, andmedium growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of ‘OHB003790’ was a mixof pollen from ‘Antique Shades’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,559), ‘Copper’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,905) and ‘Cream’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,915).‘OHB003790’ was selected as a single flowering plant within progeny ofthe above stated cross-pollination in April 2001 at Winmalee, NSW,Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceApril 2001 at Winmalee, NSW, Australia and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduce true to type with all thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

It was repeatedly found that the cultivar of the present invention:

-   -   1. Exhibits large inflorescences of yellow-colored involucral        bracts and orange colored disc florets,    -   2. Forms dark green-colored foliage;    -   3. Exhibits a good basal branching character, and    -   4. Exhibits a compact upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color, flower form and growth habit, and from plantsof the male parent primarily in flower color.

Of the many Bracteantha cultivars known to the inventor, the mostsimilar to ‘OHB003790’ is ‘Redbragol’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,988).However, in a side-by-side comparison at West Chicago, Ill., plants of‘OHB003790’ differed from plants of ‘Redbragol’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have slightly larger        inflorescences than plants of ‘Redbragol’,    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Redbragol’, and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter yellow-colored        involucral bracts than plants of ‘Redbragol’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describe the colors of ‘OHB003790’. Theplants were grown for 13 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘OHB003790’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single fully open inflorescenceof ‘OHB003790’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is theR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,1995 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Aug. 13, 2003. Thereadings were taken between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. under natural daylightconditions. The plants were produced from terminal stem cuttings takenfrom stock plants and grown in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse underconditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plantswere grown in 10 cm pots utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65°-75° F. during the dayand approximately 55°-60° F. during the night. Greenhouse light levelswere maintained at approximately 5,000-8,000 footcandles during the day.Plants used for the following descriptions and measurements were grownfor 13 weeks from the planting of rooted cuttings.

-   Botanical classification: Bracteantha bracteata cultivar    ‘OHBO03790’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Argyle Star (not patented).        -   Male parent.—Mixtures of pollen from the Bracteantha            varieties, ‘Antique Shades’, ‘Copper’ and ‘Cream’.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to form roots.—Approximately 3 weeks.        -   Crop time.—Approximately 6-8 weeks from the planting of            rooted cuttings.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit of growth.—Moderate. A mature plant, 13 weeks after            the planting of a rooted cutting, commonly measures            approximately 23.1 cm in height and approximately 29.8 cm in            diameter (area of spread).        -   Form.—Upright, mounded.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Commonly develops            approximately 7 branches.        -   Branch.—Length: Approximately 7.4 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 144A.            Internode length: Approximately 1 cm.        -   Foliage.—Type: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate. Shape:            Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute. Base:            Clasping. Quantity per lateral branch: Approximately 13.            Size: Length: Approximately 7.9 cm. Width at widest point:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Rough. Color of upper surface: 139A. Color of lower surface:            Darker than 138A. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color of            venation of both surfaces: Closest to 145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Free and continuous flowering, above            foliage.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round in a greenhouse            environment and from spring through autumn in an outdoor            garden.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type.—Composite, persistent and not fragrant.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 5.4 cm.        -   Depth.—Approximately 2 cm.        -   Quantity per branch.—Approximately 2.        -   Bud.—Just before color: Depth: 1.5 cm. Diameter: 1.3 cm. At            first color: Depth: 2 cm. Diameter: 4 cm. Color: 7B with            overlay of 164A.        -   Flower arrangement—Acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 12.9 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to            slightly acute. Color: 144A. Texture: Lanate.        -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity: Approximately 176 arranged in            several whorls. Aspect: Appear flat at maturity then become            downwardly pointing with age. Appearance: Smooth, papery.            Shape: Linear. Outermost bracts: Length: 1.6 cm. Width:            7 mm. Innermost bracts: Length: 1 cm. Width: 2 mm. Color:            Upper and lower surface of fully opened bracts: Closest to            9A.        -   Capitulum.—Diameter: Approximately 2.2 cm. Depth:            Approximately 7 mm.        -   Disc floret.—Quantity: Approximately 415. Shape: Tubular.            Length: Approximately 5 mm. Width: Approximately 1 mm.            Color: 24A. Reproductive organs: Stamen quantity: 5. Anther            shape: Linear. Anther color: 15C. Pistil quantity: 1 per            disc floret. Pistil length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Amount of            pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 7C. Stigma length: 2 mm.            Stigma color: 17B. Style length: 7.5 mm. Style color: 4D.        -   Lastingness of blooms.—Flowers on the plant remain fresh for            approximately 18 days. The flowers are not used as fresh cut            flowers, however, they would be expected to last            indefinitely as dried flowers but may fall apart after six            to twelve months.-   Seed and fruit development: Neither seed nor fruit development has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Bracteantha has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Bracteantha plant named ‘OHB003790’substantially, as herein shown and described, which:
 1. Exhibits largeinflorescences of yellow-colored involucral bracts and orange coloreddisc florets,
 2. Forms dark green-colored foliage,
 3. Exhibits a goodbasal branching character, and
 4. Exhibits a compact upright growthhabit.